Condensing apparatus.



SHEET I.

Patented June 15 3 SHEETS G. H. GIBSON.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1913.

INVENTOR M ATTORNEY ooooo ooooo ooooooo oooo oooooiooooooo WITNESSES e. H. GIBSON.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 19m.

Patented June 15, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ i 4 K AZ 1 il INVENTOR WITNESSES Q fix! l BY f,

A TTORNE Y G. H. GiBSON.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man 58.19. 1913.

Patented June 15, 19V).

3 SHEUS--SHEEI 3.

IN VENTOR A TTORNEY branch pipesto the condensing the exhaust steam a crutch.

GEORGE HQ-G-IBBON, 0F MWITULAM,'WEW-Y, BIEGIWOR "10 'HIIQISEIHF, AND PAUL i l. BANCEL, 43F NEW none, n. Y.

'QQlNBENQING AJEPAMTUS.

. idldaiteil. firwifieefiim of Letters deteriiPatented June 315, 119115.

' dpplicationfiledffl'bruary 19, 1913 Serial Ito. 749,314..

. To all whom it may concern? Be it lmown that I, Gnome H. Gnsson, a citizen .of the United States of Amenca, residing in Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful vimprovements in Condensing Apparatus, of whi'ch the following is a true andexact description, reference being had to the -accompanying drawings, which forms. part thereof.

y present invention relates to condensapparatus of the kind employed-for from engines, turbines and the "like, and theprimary object of the invention is to improve the operation of such apparatus by providing novel and effective means for withdrawing and disposing of the air tending to accumulate in the 'main condensing space or spaces into which the steam is passed and is condensed, and by the term air as used herein, I mean to include all gases and vapors entering and not readily condensable ing 7 1n the condensing apparatus.

tively simple and direct flow "channel lead ing from the steam inlet to the corresponding air outlet. To insure the proper flow through the 'diderent air outlets, I connect each to an individual air moving device or the equivalent thereof. for a positive suction at each air outlet avoid the inequalities in the flow throu the various air outlets which occur if the difi'erentair outlets are connected by simple inlet of a single pump or other air moving device. With the last mentioned arrangement more air and steam will ordinarily pass through some air outlets than through' "others, with the result that air will collect and stagnate in the portion of the condensing space from which the less active air outlets open, while an inlet of'a sing] By thus providin portion or the air-steam mixture unduly rich in steam will pass throu h the more active air outlets. The equal istribution of steam in and uniorm -circulation through the condensing space obtained with my improved apparatus are essential to the high efliciency and maximum capacity of the condensing plant. The difi'erent air outlets may be connected in accordance with my invention each to an individual centrifugal or reciprocating pump ongump section or to a jet ejector, or the d1 erent air outlets may be intermittently and successively connected to the e suitable air pump. In some cases it may be desirable to relatively adjust the suction efi t the difi'erent in the operating conditions prevailing in diderent portions of the main condenser.

he air withdrawn fromthe various air outlets will ordinarily be delivered tosuit able auxiliary condensing which the steam admixed with th condensed, and air into the auxiliary condensing the air or air-steam mixture is compressed up to the pressure of the atmo here into which it is finally discharged.

e-, various features of novelty characterlz ing my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to'and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and of the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accomp ing" drawings and descriptive matter in which i have illustrated and described forms in which in invention may be embodied.

0f the rawings: 'gure 1 is a 'view partly in sectional elevation and partly diagrainmatic of condensing apparatus in which the main condenser is of the surface condensertype; and the air moving devices are steam jet ejectors; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken similarly to Fig. 1, but on a arger scale, showing a modification of a apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a View taken similarly to Fig. 1, showing a modification in which the various condenser air outlets are each connected to acorresponding cylinder of a multi-cylinas? air :pur'n 4 is a side elevation, partly in section o a rotary aving provisions apparatus ordinarily for intermittently and wet air pump,

' at each side of the condenser. Two pairs of inclined bafiie or rain plates C and C are located within the condensing space, the' rain plates C extending between the air outlets A and A, and the rain plates C between the air outlets A and Af These rain plates deflect the water of condensation formedin the spaces above them to the sides of the condenser, and prevent this water of condensation from passing down over such of the condensing tubes B as are located beneath the rain plates. The rain plates, moreover, divide the interior of the condensing chamber into separate compart ments or condensing spaces, each opening at its upper end toward the steam inlet and each having one or more air outlets at its bottom. In Fig. 1 individual air moving devices in the form of steam jet ejectors, D, are attached to the different air outlets. As shown, the casings of the ejector device D are attached to the casing of the condenser A, each opening to a corresponding air outlet A, A. and A. Each ejector comprises an expanding nozzle D and a compression nozzle D which are separated from each other by a space through which the air and steam mixture issuing from the air outlet may be sucked into the compressing nozzle D The compression nozzles of the various ejectors are connected by piping E to the auxiliary condensing and vacuum creating apparatus. This apparatus, in the form shown, comprises a small auxiliary surface condenser G, and an air pump Ha Steam from any suitable source, which as hereinafter explained may be at a comparatively low pressure; is supplied to the various ejectors through the piping F, the supply connection to each ejector being separately regulable by an individual regulating valve F.

In operation, each ejector D, when supplied with steam at a suitable pressure, operates to maintain a pressure at the outlet of the nozzle D and hence in the piping E above that in the corresponding air outlet. Steam should be so supplied to each ejector that the air will be withdrawn from the corresponding air outlet at a rate which is rapid enough to prevent the accumulation within the portion of the main condensing space adjacent the air outlet of a mixture of air and steam rich in air and slow enough to prevent the withdrawal of a mixture unduly rich in steam. In general, for any given pressure maintained in the condensing space of the main condenser, the quality of the mixture of steam and air issuing from the air outlet will be indicated by its temperature. This temperature will diminish from. the theoretical maximum of the temperature of steam. at the pressure within the condenser as the percentage of air in the mixture increases. In consequence, the temperatures prevailing at the various air outlets of the main condenser form an indication of the manner in which the steam-is distributed and circulated through the condensing space of the main condenser. When the temperatures at the various outlets are all the same, this indicates the desired uniformity in steam .distribution and circulation in the condensing space, and when the temperature atone air outlet becomes higher than that at another, this indicates that the portion adjacent to the outlet at the lower temperatureis air bound .and is receiving less than its proper amount of steam. ejectors should be regulated by increasing the relative amount of steam supplied to the ejector at thegair outlet of lower temperature. v

The adjustment of the steam supply to the various ejectors may be accomplished manually by the attendant, who should test the temperatures prevailing at the various air outlets from time to time. This regulation may also be effected automatically as by means of a thermostat located adjacent each air outlet. One construction for accomplishing this is shown in Fig. 2where a thermostatically controlled valve I. is interposed between the steam inlet of each ejector and the manually controlled supply valve F' therefor. As shown in Fig. 2, the valve I comprises a movable valve member I of the hollow piston type, whichhas its stem 1 connected to a thermostat J of the expansive bellows type. In this type o t-thermostat, as is well known, the fluid pressure within the expansive bellows is a function of the temperature therein, and

the bellows tends to contract and expand as the fluid pressure within the bellows decreases and increases relative to the fluid pressure to which the bellows is externally subjected. The thermostat J is located in the ejector casing D and is carried by a block J" threaded into an aperture formed for the purpose in the casing D. A spring l exerts a force supplementing the effect of the external fluid pressure on the thermostatic bellows in tending to contract the latter and thereby to move the valve member 1 into the position in which its ports I connect the inlet and outlet chambers piping in the highly assassin oi the casing of the valve I. Assuming a. constant fluid pressuretowhich thebellows of; the thermostatgis externally euposed', die thermostatic bellow-s J1: is: adapted: to. move the valve member 1. into the: position: in) which the supply at steamto the: ejectoris cut 03 as a temperature in the 0013M spending air outlet increases above=thn tern: perature-fixedloy the adjustment ct -the apparatus, which is determined: of; oonraeby the conditions of operation. Bywiooatnlg the ejectors D immediately adjaceuitjithelair outlets. of the main condenser, Beyond the necessity for moving they air and ture withdrawn from themain condensing: space through any appreciable lengthl of attenuated: condition 1n Whichit passes out of. this space, The

increased pressure imparted. to the airand! BCtOFs-Ileed: be but.- slight to materially, reducethe required. ca-..

steam mixture by the e] pacity-of the vacuum pump andauniliary condenser, and but comparatively small amount of: steamis required fortheoperation of; the ejectors.

pressure apatmosphere.

or in the case offaturbine exhausting into the. main .oiandensingv space, the. steam-for the-ej'ectors may well be bled from the turbine, taken atsome point at which thepressure is-slightly above the pressure in the main exhaust steam out-- let of the turbine.

In the modified form of apparatus shownin Fig. 3', the mam condenser l b-may be. identical with that shown in Fig; 1-. The different air outlets of the condenser; are connected each by apipe'K to act rresponding one of the cylinders L, L L L L and L ofa Inu-lti-cylinder air pump. Each of the pumpcylinders is provided with an inlet valve. L which opens on the suction strokoand closes on; the compression stroke with an outlet; valve L which closes on- .the suction stroke and opens on the compression stroke of the-pump. As shown, theoutlet-valves L open into piping which-may run to suitable. auxiliary condensing-- apparatus (not: shown). The; pistons-L working in the various cylinders are each connected by a corresponding-cone necting rod L to a common crank shaft N journaled :in the bearings M and rotated by a suitable driving motor Q. readily .be apparent Without further explanation that each of the diiferent'piunp' cylinders forms a device for withdrawing air through theair outlet of the condenser to which it isconnected, which is not. affeeted inits operation by the volume of air being withdrawn through any ofi the other air outlets of the condenser.

of the piston, and

steam minto the impeller- Q.

.Fnrthennore, this.- steam .neednot be supplied a-tvhi-gh prreg.

to employ exhaust" each of which one of said air inlets S It will 5 Prof-- erably, as shown, each pipe K is provided with an individual'controlling valve K.

' It. will? be-obvious thatthe multicylinder air pump shown in Fig. 3 might be replaced bya plurality of pumps each comprising a. single cylinder and connected to a single air outlet'of the condenser.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I show a wet air pump P of known type in which air is carried. out of the air inlet chamber P of the pump and into a di-f: fusion chamber P by means of jets of water discharged into the diffusion chamber by a cmtrifugal impeller Q. P representsthe conduit supplying hurling water The shaft Q carryin the impeller Q'is shown as connected to-an rotated'bya motor NA. Theshaft' Q carries a disk R formed with an aperture or port RT. The disk R fits against the inner end wall of the chamber 0 and serves as a valve for intermittently connecting a plurality of pipes K to the chamber 0 one after another, as the port R successively crosses the ends of the pipes. The pipes K may be connected to the difi erent air outletsof a conde'nser, as in Fig. 3. In this arrangement it-will be apparent that apositive suction is exerted on each of the different air outlets of the condenser to which the pump is connected once during each revolution of the shaft Q, and that the air discharge through each air outlet of the condenser thus insured will not be affectedby the volume of flow anv of the other air outlets.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the various pipes K, from the different air out let openings of the condenser A, each lead to a corresponding suction inlet S of a The casing of the with a chamber for a rotary impellerT. The impeller chamber opens, externally ofthe impeller into a plurality (four as shown) of pockets S into opens. Leading from each of'said pockets S is a combining nozzle 8, and each combining nozzle discharges into a corresponding diffusion nozzle Sf, connected at through which jets of water are discharged against the inner'edges of the blades of the impeller T, one in line with each chamber or pocket S Each jet of water thus directed against the inner edges of the impeller bladesis divided by the latter into blade-like jets which are discharged into the corresponding pocket S with increased velocity and in such direction that the separate blade-like jets pass into the combining nozzle S and carry with them the air and steam entering the corresponding pocket S through its suction inlet S'and connected pipe K. The steam is condensed in normal operation in the chamber S or nozzle S and in the difi'usion nozzle 5* the jet of water and air leaving the registering combining nozzle S with high velocity and at low pressure has its energy of velocity largely converted into energy of pressure. The pressure thus created at the discharge ends of the duflusion nozzles S is sufficient to permit the discharge of air and water against the pressure prevailing at the discharge ends of the pipes S which will ordinarily be that of the atmosphere.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 665,706, filed December 14, 1911, I have disclosed and claimed condensing apparatus in which a plurality of air outlets from a main condenser are regulated by dampers, which are opened and closed to regulate the outflow of air and steam through the various air outlets to the vacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatus. The apparatus disclosed herein,'while embodying general features claimed in said prior application, possesses an important advantage over that disclosed by said prior application from the fact that in the present case the flow regulating devices raise the pressure in the auxiliary apparatus above that in the main condenser, while with the apparatus shown by my earlier invention, the throttling action of the regulating dampers tends to make the pressure in the auxiliary apparatus lower than the vacuum maintained in the main condenser. In consequence, the apparatus disclosed herein permits me to ob-- tain the desired regulation of steam flow and distribution in the main condenser with the aid of auxiliary condensing and vacuum creating apparatus of smaller capacity and higher efliciency than is required with the regulating provisions vshown by 'my earlier application. Moreover, the character of the regulating means which I have now devised, permit of their adjustment by means less complicated and delicate than I consider necessary or at least desirable with the throttling regulators disclosed in my earlier application. It is to be understood, however, that the temperature controlling provisions described in my earlier application, may well be employed to control the operation of such air moving devices as are shown in Fig. 1;

for instance, where a highly accurate and delicate adjustment of the operation of the condenser is desired.

\Vhile in accordance with the provisions of the .statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of apparatus disclosed herewith, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and that certain features of my inair outlets, and means for exerting a sue tion on each air outlet which is independent of the volume of flow through any other of said air outlets.

2. In combination, a condenser having the usual outlet for water of condensation and having in addition thereto a plurality of air outlets and separate air moving means for and connected to each of said air outlets.

3. In combination, a surface condenser having the usual outlet for water of condensation and having in addition thereto a plurality of condensing spaces receiving steam from a common steam inlet and a plu- V rality of independent air outlets, and means for exerting a suction on each air outlet which is independent of thevolume of flow through any other of said air outlets.

4. In combination, a condenser'having the usual outlet for waterof condensation and having in addition thereto a plurality of air outlets, and a separate jet ejector device connected to each of said air outlets.

-5. In combination, a main condenser having the usual outlet for water of condensation and having in addition thereto a plurality of air outlets, auxiliary condensing and vacuum producing means to which said air outlets are connected, and a steam ejector located at each air outlet and adapted to suck air out of the main condenser through pressure to said apparatus.

6, In combination, a main condenser having a plurality of air outlets, auxiliary condensing and vacuum producingmeans to which said air outlets are connected, a steam ejector located at each air outlet and adapted to suck air out of the main condenser through said air outlet and deliver it at a higher pressure to said apparatus, and means for automatically regulating the sup ply of steam to the difierent ejectors in response to variations in the temperature conditions prevailing in different portions ofv the condenser.

7. In combination, a main condenser having a plurality of air outlets, auxiliary condensing and vacuum producing means to which said air outlets are connected, a steam ejector located at each ,air outlet and adapted to suck air out of the main condenser through said air outlet and deliver it at a higher pressure to said apparatus, and means for automatically regulating the sup; ply of steam to the different ejectors in response. to variations in temperature conditions prevailing in di-flerent portions of the condenser, said means comprising a steam supply valve for each ejector and therm0 static actuating means therefor responsive to the temperature prevailing in the corresponding air outlet.

8'. The combination with a condenser having a plurality of air outlets, of means for automatically regulating the discharge through each outlet consisting of a thermostat for each outlet comprising an expansion chamber containing a volatile liquid and subjected to the temperature, and externally exposed to the pressure prevailing in the condenser adjacent said outlet, said expansion. chamber being free to contract and expand and thereby acting to increase and decrease the discharge through said outlet as the pressure within the expansion chamber decreases and increases relative to the pressure within the condenser adjacent saidair outlet. g

GEORGE H. GIBSON. Witnesses:

PAUL A. BANCEL, EUGENE G. 1 

